Iranian supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi take part in a rally in Tehran. (PHOTO CREDIT: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
A lot of people aren't buying the outcome of Iran's elections, which had President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning with more than 62 percent of the vote.
Vice President Joe Biden says there's some "real doubt" about the results.
Experts point to many reasons why the elections could have been rigged: There is no independent monitoring, many voters are illiterate and officials help them fill in their paper ballots. There are also no booths, so all of the voting is done in public.
According to the official results - Ahmadinejad won in all regions of the country and among all classes and ages - which is highly unlikely. For example, Ahmadinejad won in cities where he is unpopular; and the opposition leader, Mir Hossein Moussavi, lost among his own ethnic group. Also, there were 40 million votes cast and just two hours after the polls closed, Ahmadinejad's victory was announced. In Iran there are no machines. All the votes have to be hand counted.
Moussavi's supporters have taken to the streets to protest the results - often clashing with police. Iranian media have mostly ignored the protests and international journalists were prevented from covering them. Some reporters have been arrested and others beaten by police.
All this was apparently enough for Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei to allow an investigation into allegations of ballot fraud. A group of top clerics and judges is expected to issue its findings within 10 days.
Here's my question to you: Do you believe Iran's elections were honest?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Mike from New Brunswick, Canada writes:
Jack, Whether the elections were honest is irrelevant. Who won is ultimately irrelevant. What matters is that the Iranians have the courage to stand up to what they perceive as an electoral injustice. We should never concern ourselves with what we perceive as the wrongdoings of foreign governments. It is the reaction of a nation’s people to their government’s actions (be they benign or malevolent) that really matters.
Todd writes:
No. I'd say it's clear that some mischief has occurred here. Moussavi lost among his own ethnic group? That is highly unlikely. He lost the young Iranian vote? I equally doubt that.
Allen from Mountain Home, Idaho writes:
I think Americans are a little too judgmental when it comes to other country's elections. Maybe we should take a look at our election process to see if we have it right before trying to critique the rest of the world. My question is, "If Iran can certify an election with 40 million paper ballots in 2 hours, why can't Minnesota certify the senate race from last November?
Brittany from Palm Beach, Florida writes:
If America can not put together an honest election, Iran doesn't have a prayer.
Joe writes:
When it comes right down to it, it doesn't really matter who wins when the legitimacy of that victory is in the hands of one man. The clerics run the country, and until that changes Iranians will not really enjoy any real freedom.
Brian writes:
The statistics would certainly question the honesty. And would the investigation be an investigation - or just an attempt to polish the lie? After all, a lie is like a wine. It needs time to ferment.
Dennis from Minnesota writes:
I believe the earth is flat. I believe french fries are health food. I believe snowboarding and waterboarding are recreational activities. I believe Wolf is a good dancer. I believe the Iranian elections were honest.